Telematics and community governance: issues for policy and practice

The changing processes and practices of governing have led to the emergence of an increasingly complex environment in which a plethora of organizations and agencies can be involved in the governance of local communities. The successful forging of these systems of community governance depends on the capacity of the actors within the system to develop and manage complex and flexible networks of relationships. Telematics ‐ the integrated use of information and communication technologies ‐ are increasingly recognized as fundamental to the development and maintenance of these systems and networks. Approaching the subject from a local authority perspective, explores how the formation, maintenance and management of the organizational and political networks involved in community governance can be facilitated by telematics. Discusses some of the most important policy issues which emerge.